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Mob

The proper full length debut of Da Lench Mob – following up their crucial backup role on Ice Cube's classic AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted – stepping out pretty strongly here on their own! Ice Cube's voice pops in and out, but for the most part settles into production and has songwriting role here – this is is definitely the T-Bone, J-Dee and Shorty show – with heavy headnodding funk beats and street smart rhymes that make it fitting spinoff and spiritual successor to AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. Includes "Buck Tha Devil", "Lost In Tha System", "Guerillas In The Mist", "Freedom Got An AK", "Inside Tha Head of a Black Man", "Lord Have Mercy" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Cube's last truly great full length, from 1992, when he was leaving the gangsta stuff behind and had grown into an incredibly sharp social commentator and ghetto portrait painter. The rhymes, and even the liner note acknowledgements ("Ice Cube wishes to acknowledge white America's continued commitment to the silence and oppression of black men. . .") are wickedly incisive to this day. This could be his finest hour. Includes the singles "It Was A Good Day", "Check Yo Self" and "Wicked", "Gangsta's Fairytale 2", "Dirty Mack" and "Now I Gotta Wet'cha". Production by DJ Pooh, Muggs, Sir Jinx, and others. CD

Early Prime Time stuff by Ornette, with the harmelodic sound electric sound of the group that included Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Bern Nix, and Charlie Ellerbee. Lots of popping guitar strings, jumping basslines, and rambling solos by Ornette. Tracks include "Jump Street", "Sleep Talk", "Air Ship", "What Is The Name Of That Song?", and "Job Mob". Very early eighties, very downtown scene. LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from The Meters – and an album that's essential for just about any collection of old school funk! The record's a blueprint for grooves that have been copied for generations to come – yet nobody does it better than these Crescent City kings – working here with a sound that's lean, mean, and completely on the money! The mix of organ, guitar, and bad-walking rhythms is completely sublime throughout – and made even better by massive production from the team of Marshall Sehorn and Allen Toussaint. Imagine taking the best instrumental funk 45s from your collection, then playing them back to back – and you'll get a good idea of the solid sound of this landmark set. Titles include "Funky Miracle", "Oh Calcutta", "Yeah You're Right", "Pungee", "Look-Ka Py Py", "Dry Spell", "Little Old Money Maker", "The Mob", "9 Til 5", "Rigor Mortis", and "This Is My Last Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

At the height of his success, Pat tries to prove to the world that he's still got cred – and hooks up with Ornette, Charlie Haden, and Denardo Coleman for a little bit of harmelodic jamming. Thing is, we actually liked the slick stuff better! Titles include "Mob Job", "Video Games", "Song X Duo", and "Long Time No See". LP, Vinyl record album

Two early classics from Lee Perry & The Upsetters – back to back in a single set, with an insane number of bonus tracks too! Clint Eastwood is a record that furthers the idea of the outlaw in reggae – as Lee Perry takes the Upsetters past the safer territory of ska and rocksteady, and brings in a few great guests who all get the benefit of his studio magic as well! The rhythms are nice and deep, and produced with that monstrous sense of sound that Scratch had right from the start – soulful vocals bursting out where needed, but all unified together with a mad mix of echo, organ lines, and super-heavy bass. Titles include "Return Of The Ugly", "For A Few Dollars More", "Taste Of Killing", "Clint Eastwood", "My Mob", and "I've Caught You" by The Upsetters – plus "Rightful Ruler" by U Roy, "Prisoner Of Love" by Dave Barker, "Ain't No Love" by Winston Holmes, and "Selassie" by The Reggae Boys. Many Moods Of The Upsetters is a record that has the group stepping hard on some great instrumentals – then backing up some guest singers who really help give the record some shape! The instrumentals often have this great organ line in the front – produced with lots of cool sounds by the young Lee Perry, so that the instrument sounds very different than in Jamaican songs from just a few years before – and also used in ways that would disappear during the dub years later, with this really crazy sound that often gets weird and spacey. The vocal cuts are great too – maybe a bit straighter, but a reminder that Scratch really knows what to do with a singer too. Titles include "Exray Vision", "Low Lights", "Soul Stew", "Games People Play", "Serious Joke", "Beware Fade", and "Mean & Dangerous" by The Upsetters – plus "Cloud Nine" by Carl Dawkins, "Can't Take It Anymore" by David Isaacs, and "Goosy" by Pat Satchmo. 2CD set features 24 bonus tracks – more cuts by The Upsetters, Busty Brown, Lennox Brown, The West Indians, Pat Satchmo, The Bleechers, Lloyd Douglas, The Ethiopians, and others. CD

A pretty heady little set, from a pretty heady trio of talents – drummer Bobby Previte, guitarist Nels Cline, and keyboardist Jamie Saft – who works here on Hammond, Fender Rhodes, and mini-moog! The music is very dark and often distorted – as if the other two musicians have borrowed some of Cline's love of effects, which are often used to deepen and abstract his sound – which is definitely the case here, as the music builds in waves of fuzz that bring a very progressive feel to the record – a bit like some of those great early 70s experimental sets that were equal parts jazz and psych. Titles include "Parkour", "Paywall", "Totes", "Occession", "The New Weird", "Machine Learning", "Woke", and "Flash Mob". CD

The first album of the new millennium for UGK – coming into it at high point! They had a lot to live up to after Ridin' Dirty did so much put Houston on the legacy hip hop, and really helped usher in the the southern hip hop revolution in general, so if Dirty Money doesn't blaze any more trails, it's certainly as sturdy ride that still sounds good after all these years. Includes "Let Me See It", "Choppin' Blades", "Look At Me", "Ain't That A B***h" with Devin The Dude, "Holdin' Na" feat C-Note, "Don't Say S**t" with Big Gipp of Goodie Mob, ""Dirty Money", "Pimpin' Ain't No Illusion", "Wood Wheel", "Money, H*** & Power" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A dream come true! Someone at Blue Note is keeping their eyes and ears on the street and in the clubs – because here's another late model conceptual triumph – a remix project pairing current innovators in the club and hip hop underground with classic numbers from the label's vaults! The concept is simple; classic numbers are given to handpicked remixers, re-doers, and stylistic misfits best suited to re-work that particular number. Mo Wax maestros La Funk Mob open the set with a mellow, club soul tweak of Wayne Shorter's "Oriental Funk Song". Kenny Dope trips out Bobby Hutcherson's "La Malanga" into a bubbly club funk jam. "Kyoto Jazz Massive" completely re-work Eddie Henderson's "Kudu" into a wonderful number all their own. Perhaps the biggest triumph of all here is the consistency throughout; every artist attached brings their A-game (how could they do any less, given a chance to add their own elements to the some of the most influential numbers they could get their hands on?) Amazing, amazing stuff – whether it's the scratched up, hip hop flavor J Dilla brings to Jack McDuff's "Oblighetto" or the righteous electronic groove Jazzanova drops on Eddie Gale's "Song Of The Will", the minimalist, keys and beats drive Osunlade brings into Grant Green's "A Time To Remember". Every track sparkles! Other tracks include DJ Spinna/Donald Byrd "Lansanna's Priestess", 4 Hero/Horace Silver "Won't You Open Up Your Senses", DJ Cam & Erik Truffaz/Donald Byrd "The Emperor", Herbert/Michel Petrucciani "Caravan" and more! CD

Just about the only album the Rat Pack ever did together, and the soundtrack to the goofy mob spoof that starred Sinatra, Dino, Bing, Sammy, and Peter Falk. The movie stinks – which you'll know if you've ever seen it – but the score has some very nice moments, including "Mister Booze" with Bing, Dean, Sammy, and Frank; "Style" with Bing, Frank, and Dean; and "Don't Be A Do-Badder", with just about the whole group singing. Peter Falk even sings one track, and Sinatra does his famous "My Kind Of Town". Nelson Riddle arrangements throughout! LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty heady little set, from a pretty heady trio of talents – drummer Bobby Previte, guitarist Nels Cline, and keyboardist Jamie Saft – who works here on Hammond, Fender Rhodes, and mini-moog! The music is very dark and often distorted – as if the other two musicians have borrowed some of Cline's love of effects, which are often used to deepen and abstract his sound – which is definitely the case here, as the music builds in waves of fuzz that bring a very progressive feel to the record – a bit like some of those great early 70s experimental sets that were equal parts jazz and psych. Titles include "Parkour", "Paywall", "Totes", "Occession", "The New Weird", "Machine Learning", "Woke", and "Flash Mob". LP also features the bonus track "Post Human". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal album for Dylan – featuring complicated dark little numbers like "All Along The Watchtower", "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee & Judas Priest", "I Am A Lonesome Hobo", "I Pity The Poor Immigrant", "The Wicked Messenger", "As I Went Out One Morning", and "Down Along The Cove". CD

Masterful second album from Mobb Deep – with of the finest mid 90s east coast hardcore hip hop albums – raw, gritty and real in ways that trancended the scene an cemented the duo's legacy! Sparely produced, providing the perfect raw framework for the bleak storytelling, it pulls you and doesn't let go. It takes exceptional skill to craft street hip hop like that this without it coming across as glamorization on hand or depressing on the other, and Mobb Deep pulls it off in classic form here. 16 tracks over two LPs, with no filler. Guest appearances by Q-Tip, Ghostface, Nas, Raekwon, and Big Noyd. Tracks include "Shook Ones Part II", "Temperature's Rising", "Drink Away The Pain", "Survival Of The Fittest", "Trife Live", "Eye For An Eye", and lots more. Classic! LP, Vinyl record album

Mobb Deep steps into a new millennium with a slightly bigger sound, but without losing the plot! Long-heralded for being gritty and raw in the best kind of way, Prodigy & Havoc had nothing left to prove on that front – so taking a slight left turn with a more introspective lyrical bent and some sweeter soul backing vocals on the hook is anything but a crime against their legacy if you ask us, it actually deepens it –- especially with the rhymes still in their cornerstone style on a lot of the tracks. 16 tracks in all, including "Get Away", "Bounce", "Hey Luv (Anything)", "The Learning (Burn)", "Get At Me", "Clap", "Crawlin", "There I Go Again" wiht Ron Isley, "I Won't Fall" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A real treasure from the great tenorist Hank Mobley – and a record that shows him really opening up his sound in his later years at Blue Note! The album's got some key rhythmic elements that come both from the drumming of Billy Higgins and piano of Cedar Walton – both players who bring in a sense of lyricism that really opens up Hank's horn, and which also sets the trumpet of Donald Byrd free as well – in territory that really resonates with some of Donald's own excellent Blue Note material from the mid 60s! The album's one of those great Blue Note dates that was recorded in the 60s, but not issued until many years later – and really makes for a richer side of Mobley's catalog – a new great level amidst all those already wonderful records. Titles include "Bossa For Baby", "Soul Time", "No Argument", and "A Dab Of This & That". CD

An excellent Hank Mobley session – with an unusual twist that takes it past his earlier work! The lineup's great all the way through – with Woody Shaw on trumpet, George Benson on guitar, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the addition of Benson's guitar gives the tracks a groovily swinging edge that really makes them dance nicely! The set's got 4 originals – "Good Pickins", "Up Over & Out", "Beverly", and "Lookin East" – and 2 soul covers – "Reach Out" and "Goin' Out Of My Head" – and Mobley never misses a beat. Mobley was so great during this period, and we always mourn the fact that he hardly recorded much afterward! CD

An excellent Hank Mobley session – with an unusual twist that takes it past his earlier work! The lineup's great all the way through – with Woody Shaw on trumpet, George Benson on guitar, and Billy Higgins on drums – and the addition of Benson's guitar gives the tracks a groovily swinging edge that really makes them dance nicely! The set's got 4 originals – "Good Pickins", "Up Over & Out", "Beverly", and "Lookin East" – and 2 soul covers – "Reach Out" and "Goin' Out Of My Head" – and Mobley never misses a beat. Mobley was so great during this period, and we always mourn the fact that he hardly recorded much afterward! LP, Vinyl record album

Moby Grape's self-conscious, but hardly less groovy late 60s excursion into loose, free form and largely instrumental psychedelia – the sweet and therefore appropriately titled Grape Jam! GJ is really a world away from their earlier rock regalia – with superstar special guests Al "How Does It Feel" Cooper and Mike Bloomfield brought in the flesh out the open-ended sounds. The sounds roll from walloping instrumental rock, to bluesier jams, to some driving nearly funky bits! Titles include "Never", "Boysenberry Jam", "Black Currant Jam", "Marmalade" and "The Lake". LP, Vinyl record album

The self-titled groovy rock masterpiece from Moby Grape – one of the greatest things to come out of San Francisco after Ghiradelli Chocolate and sourdough bread! The Moby Grape LP is one of the finest, and leanest LPs we can think of from the '67 school of Bay Area psychedelic rock – with ome genius work by a young Skip Spence & co that leans on a sound that grows up and out from a blues based approach into the stratophere! – original LP tracks include "Omaha", "Hey Grandma", "Changes", "Sitting By The Window", "Ain't No Use", "Mr Blues", "Naked, If I Want To", "8:05", "Lazy Me", "Someday" and more LP, Vinyl record album

(360 Sound stereo pressing, matrix ending in 1A/1B, in the "middle finger" cover, with some light wear and a bent corner.)

Groovy rock from Moby Grape – a sweet set from the end of the 60s that's as tight and consistent as just about anything else in their early canon – despite the absence of recently departed Skip Spence! The rest of the group really bring out some magic here – on tunes that touch on Byrds-y folk psychedelia and far grittier tunes, too! Underrated and totally worthy work from Moby Grape! Titles include "Ooh Mama Ooh", "Ain't That A Shame", "I Am Not Willing", "Hoochie", "Trucking Man", "Captain Nemo", "Seeing" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

(360 Sound stereo pressing, matrix ending in 1A, Cover has some wear with some flaking along the bottom seam.)

A nice early groover from Todd Terry – a bit more gimmicky than some of his other work of the time (released during the summer of the first Batman movie), but with some great splashy beats and that wall of sound Terry approach! 12-inch, Vinyl record

The funky first full length album from Todd Terry – done at a time when the dancefloor genius had really been transforming the sound of late 80s club on a host of indie singles, issued under a variety of different names – finally given the chance to shine here in the lead! The music follows in the same spirit as Terry's excellent Black Riot and Royal House records – this transformation of house rhythms to a more New York-styled groove – with all of those fantastic splashy beats that helped set his music apart from so many others, and which really paved the way for a huge wave of new east coast indie giants to come. Titles include his great remake of the early 80s groove "Weekend", plus "You're The One", "Back To The Beat", "Just Wanna Dance", "Bango (To The Batmobile)", "The Circus", "Sense", and "Made By The Man". Features six bonus tracks that include "Weekend (UK rmx)", "Just Wanna Dance (club)", "Weekend (club)", "The Circus (12" version)", "Back To The Beat (club)", and "Bango To The Batmobile (club bang)". CD

Seminal sounds from the Parisian jazz community of the early 70s – a scene that had as much late 60s revolutionary energy as the American one – and which steps forth here in a beautiful blend of righteous themes and really far-reaching styles! The politics of the set are obvious from the cover and title – but there's also a deeply spiritual feel, too – that same sense of searching in the post-Coltrane generation of the US, but played out in a host of very different ways that make the music a great new discovery! American musicians interacted heavily with French jazz players in the post-1968 scene – and you can definitely hear that influence at work, mixed with other creative European modes that really give the music a special cross-cultural feel. Some key elements of the post-colonial scene are at play as well – and titles include "De L'Orient A L'Orion" by RK Nagati, "Attention L'Armee" by Atarpop 73 & Le Collectif Le Temps Des Cerises, "Samba Miaou" by Full Moon Ensemble, "Le Cri" by Michel Roques, "Hey" by Chene Noir, "Athee Ou A Te" by Beatrice Arnac, "Nous Ouvrirons Les Casernes" by Mahjun, "Je Suis Un Sauvage" by Alfred Panou & Art Ensemble Of Chicago, and "Les Elephants" by Frederic Rufin & Raphael Lecomte. CD

While the other standouts of the class of '95 like Nas, Jay Z and AZ drifted towards the Escobar/Gambino/Cristal style, Mobb Deep avoided that trend in this tight follow-up to their legendary Infamous debut! Their subject matter may not have evolved or expanded too much, but their strong production is top notch and strong to this day.. Also, some nice guest appearances from Method Man, Raekwon, Nas, Big Noyd. Includes the hilarious "Drop A Gem On 'Em", "Hell On Earth", "Extortion", "More Trife Life", "Still Shinin'", "G.O.D. Pt III", "Nighttime Vultures", "Bloodsport" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare non-Blue Note late 50s session that features Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan – and a stone cooker that feels like some of the best Jazz Messengers dates of the time! There's a chance that the session was possibly cut "under duress", like a number of other jazz albums on Roulette during the period – but that doesn't stop it from being a full-on, open-fire groover – lots of long tracks done in perfect hardbop formation! In addition to Mobley's tenor and Morgan's trumpet, the combo also features Curtis Fuller on trombone, Billy Root on additional tenor, Ray Bryant on piano, Tommy Bryant on bass, and Specs Wright on drums. The album features four long blowing tunes – "Jamph", "Nutville", "Wee", and "It's You Or No One". CD

One of Hank's most solid sessions from the mid 60's – recorded with a hard-biting lineup that has Lee Morgan, Harold Mabern, and Larry Ridley – coming together under Mobley's expansive style of the time! The record's a key turning point in his career – as Hank moves from a straight hard bop sound closer to the modally-inflected soul jazz styles he was turning out at the end of his career – emerging as an extremely talented writer with hip original tunes like "Ballin", "The Vamp", "The Dip", and "The Break Through". The sound is incredible – full, rich, soaring – uniquely Mobley's own vision, and not a copycat approach to the styles of Coltrane, Rollins, or other 60s tenorists. LP, Vinyl record album

A real treasure from the great tenorist Hank Mobley – and a record that shows him really opening up his sound in his later years at Blue Note! The album's got some key rhythmic elements that come both from the drumming of Billy Higgins and piano of Cedar Walton – both players who bring in a sense of lyricism that really opens up Hank's horn, and which also sets the trumpet of Donald Byrd free as well – in territory that really resonates with some of Donald's own excellent Blue Note material from the mid 60s! The album's one of those great Blue Note dates that was recorded in the 60s, but not issued until many years later – and really makes for a richer side of Mobley's catalog – a new great level amidst all those already wonderful records. Titles include "Bossa For Baby", "Soul Time", "No Argument", and "A Dab Of This & That". LP, Vinyl record album

Late work by tenor giant Hank Mobley – and a really unique session that stands out from his other Blue Note work of the time! The set was recorded in Paris with an ultra-hip lineup – one that features Dizzy Reece on trumpet and Slide Hampton on trombone – both fresh players alongside Hank's work on tenor sax, making for really wonderful phrasing and timing in the front line! The bottom's pretty great, too – with wicked rhythms from Philly Joe Jones on drums, at a level that bounces around with a growing sense of soul – yet still has all the complex colors of Mobley's classic work. The balance is beautiful – as fresh as the image on the cover – and the album's one that we'd rank right up there with The Phantom by Duke Pearson and Slow Drag by Donald Byrd – overlooked gems that show some great Blue Note growth in the late 60s. Titles include "The Flip", "Feelin' Folksy", and "Snappin' Out". CD

A rare non-Blue Note late 50s session that features Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan – and a stone cooker that feels like some of the best Jazz Messengers dates of the time! There's a chance that the session was possibly cut "under duress", like a number of other jazz albums on Roulette during the period – but that doesn't stop it from being a full-on, open-fire groover – lots of long tracks done in perfect hardbop formation! In addition to Mobley's tenor and Morgan's trumpet, the combo also features Curtis Fuller on trombone, Billy Root on additional tenor, Ray Bryant on piano, Tommy Bryant on bass, and Specs Wright on drums. The album features four long blowing tunes – "Walkin", "All The Things You Are", "Bag's Groove", and "There Will Never Be Another You". CD

A rare gem from Hank Mobley's initial late 50s run at Blue Note – a session recorded by the label in 1957, but unissued at the time! The quality of the set is right up there with Hank's best from the period – presented here in full album format, and the mix of searing hardbop and gentle soul that we've always loved in Mobley's work – all so great that the album's easily a cut above most other jazz sides of the time, and at a level that has us (as always) scratching our heads as to why Blue Note never put this one out. Players include Art Farmer on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, Sonny Clark on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and titles include "East Of Brooklyn", "Tune Up", "Poppin", and "Getting Into Something". LP, Vinyl record album

(Part of the Blue Note Tone Poet series – on heavyweight vinyl pressed at RTI!)

A lost session by Hank Mobley – originally recorded in 1966, but not officially issued until 1979, and then only briefly until another short issue in the mid 90s! The record has Mobley really reaching out into a new bag – hitting a more soulfully arranged sound than on some of his other straighter Blue Notes – a full, rich groove that's totall wonderful! Duke Pearson arranged the group, and it's slightly larger than usual – with James Spaulding on alto, Lee Morgan on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and Kiane Zawadi and Howard Johnson providing a very unique tuba/euphonium bass part – hardly the clunky horns you might expect, and instead sort of a rumbling bottom-end sound that's really great. Titles include "Hank's Other Bag", "Touch Of Blue", and "A Slice Of The Top". CD

(Out of print, 2012 Japanese pressing with original LP cover art – includes obi!)

Simply astounding! Soul Station is a deceptively simple album that has tenor giant Hank Mobley playing standards and originals in a quartet with Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums– a spare and simple group, but one with a direct energy that's really amazing – in a way that makes for some of Mobley's best solos on record! The tracks here are all relatively basic in construction, but this territory allows all players to really relax and open up – especially Mobley, who really dominates the proceedings with some well-blown lines on tenor. Blakey's work is great too – nicely restrained, and the date marks one of his last sessions ever as a sideman. Titles include "Soul Station", "Split Feelin's", "Dig Dis", and "This I Dig Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

Simply astounding! Soul Station is a deceptively simple album that has tenor giant Hank Mobley playing standards and originals in a quartet with Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Blakey on drums– a spare and simple group, but one with a direct energy that's really amazing – in a way that makes for some of Mobley's best solos on record! The tracks here are all relatively basic in construction, but this territory allows all players to really relax and open up – especially Mobley, who really dominates the proceedings with some well-blown lines on tenor. Blakey's work is great too – nicely restrained, and the date marks one of his last sessions ever as a sideman. Titles include "Soul Station", "Split Feelin's", "Dig Dis", and "This I Dig Of You". CD

(This is an XRCD24 pressing, with higher fidelity and improved audio quality. Out of print.)

One of the greatest albums ever from Blue Note tenor giant Hank Mobley – a set that really explodes in all the new directions Hank was taking in the 60s! Mobley in the 50s was already the stuff of legend – a tremendous soloist on tenor, and every bit his own man – firmly focused forward with a voice that was already tremendous – but which was turned towards a lot of new ideas with records like this! Both Mobley's phrasing and rhythmic construction are different here than a few years before – still every bit as soulful as ever, but able to open up with richer imagination, especially on the strong original tunes on the set. The group's great – a quintet that offers up both guitar from Grant Green and piano from Wynton Kelly – and rhythm is by the mighty team of Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Tracks are longish, with plenty of room for solos – and titles include "Smokin", "Greasin Easy", "Workout", and "Uh Huh". LP, Vinyl record album

While the other standouts of mid 90s class like Nas, Jay Z and AZ drifted towards the mainstream street rap, Mobb Deep avoided that trend in this tight follow-up to their legendary Infamous debut! Their subject matter may not have evolved or expanded too much, but their strong production is top notch and strong to this day. Also, it has some nice guest appearances from Method Man, Raekwon, Nas, Big Noyd. Includes the hilarious "Drop A Gem On 'Em", "Hell On Earth", "Extortion", "More Trife Life", "Still Shinin'", "G.O.D. Pt III", "Nighttime Vultures", "Bloodsport" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set of hardbop from the legendary Hank Mobley – recorded during the initial Mobley run at Blue Note, and a keen document of his amazing power on the tenor sax! The album's got a tightness that's almost impossible to believe – a summation of all the best bop trends of the 50s, rolled into a freewheeling and soulful expression, guided by Mobley's always-sharp ear for a groove. The group's great too – and Art Blakey is on drums, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and a young young Freddie Hubbard plays trumpet. All tracks are nice and long, with a firey hardbop sound, deeply held in place by Mobley's soulful tone on the tenor! Titles include "My Groove Your Move", "Baptist Beat", and "The Breakdown". CD features one more bonus track! CD

Prodigy's solo debut HNIC – gritty and raw from intro to outro, with a methodical flow on par the with the best of his work with Mobb Deep in the best moments – while taking some heretofore stylistic detours! Naturally, there's a personal vibe to the peak tracks here that he couldn't explore so singularly on rhymes in the Mobb Deep canon, but there's some less personal, more boisterous bangers here too. Stands the test of time pretty strongly production wise, too. Includes the classic "Keep It Thoro", "Wanna Be Thugs", "Infamous Minded", "Trials Of Love", "What U Rep", "YBE", "Three", "Can't Complain" and more, plus guest appearances by Havoc, Big Noyd, Cormega and production on a few tracks by Alchemist. LP, Vinyl record album

(Cover has a cut corner, and one slightly bumped corner – but this is a great copy overall.)

An amazing run of music – some of our favorite albums ever recorded for the Blue Note label, and the legendary second chapter of the career of tenor genius Hank Mobley! Hank was already a hell of a tenor player when he came on the scene in the 50s – graced with this deeply soulful style that helped usher in a whole new generation of talents on the instrument – but during his final years at Blue Note, he really took off with amazing new ideas, unusual rhythms, mindblowing arrangements, and the kind of compositional skill she never showed at the start! Blue Note recorded Mobley very heavily over the eight years covered in this set – so much so, that not all the albums were issued at the time, but came out to great acclaim in later decades – even as Hank was sadly fading from the limelight. The players on the set are some of the greatest of Hank's contemporaries – Woody Shaw, Lee Morgan, Dizzy Reece, Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, and Blue Mitchell on trumpets; McCoy Tyner, Harold Mabern, Andrew Hill, Cedar Walton, John Hicks, and Herbie Hancock on piano; and the rhythm combos on all dates are superb, including a few with guitar work by Sonny Greenwich or George Benson. Box includes the full albums No Room For Squares, Turnaround, Dippin, Caddy For Daddy, Hi Voltage, Reach Out, The Flip, Far Away Lands, Straight No Filter, Slice Of The Top, Thinking Of Home, and Third Season – plus bonus alternate tracks, all housed with a huge booklet of notes and session details. CD

It's hard to get at the brilliance of the 70s albums from Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lew Tabackin in words – but we'll try just a bit! The records are almost an anomaly – creative big band records at a time when most folks were leaving the format behind – put together by a duo who weren't really stars in the years before, at least on the American market – but who really found a way to shine in this new setting! Toshiko composed and arranged all the material – opening up a whole new depth in her songwriting – and she also delivers superb piano solos that have the dexterity of her earlier work, but also a new level of complexity too. Tabackin is wonderful as well – fantastic on flute and tenor – and also providing strong inspiration to reed soloists Dick Spencer and Gary Foster too. Emil Richards does a nice percussion solo on one track – and titles include "Notorious Tourist From East", "Deracinated Flower", "Yellow Is Mellow", and "Mobile". CD

Very out, very abstract 70s improv recorded live in concert in New York's Peace Church. Side one features a larger group wit Karl Berger, Dave Holland, Bob Moses and Richard Tietelbaum, plus some less well known performers such as vocalist Ing Rid, and Tom Schmidt, Ilene Marder and Betty McDonald. Side two features a smaller group based around Berger, Holland, Rid, Teitelbaum and tromobonist Garrett List. All tracks are quite lengthy, with titles that include "Live Time", "Dance Now As We Are", "The Continual Pattern", "Music Is", and "Tune In Time In". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic early set featuring the Jazz Messengers back when the group still included Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, and Kenny Dorham – one of the earliest and purest versions of Blakey's hardbop vision, touched with the slightly exotic lyricism of Silver, which gives the tracks a wonderful edge. The playing is excellent throughout – and the album's the kind of live stormer that shows why the group were such a huge draw right out of the box, and why they performed as well (if not better) in a live setting than they did ain a studio one! Tracks include "Minor's Holiday", "The Theme", "Prince Albert", and "Deciphering The Message" – and the CD features 3 bonus tracks, all long, plus great remastering! CD

Classic early set featuring the Jazz Messengers back when the group still included Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, and Kenny Dorham. Hard hard hard bop, cracklin' with energy, and a great example of the kind of playing that made the group an instant success. Tracks on this second volume include "Sportin Crowd", "Avila & Tequila", "I Waited For You", and "Yesterdays". CD

A nice collection of overlooked work from Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – not the oft-reissued material from the group's years at Blue Note, but instead some slightly more obscure sides recorded for Columbia and RCA! The work here also represents a time when Blakey was experimenting a bit more with the group – a stretch right before he settled into some of the more-recorded groups with Wayne Shorter, Lee Morgan, and Bobby Timmons – but still had a great ear for important younger talent! Players here include Bill Hardman, Donald Byrd, and Lee Morgan on trumpets; Jackie McLean on alto; Johnny Griffin, Hank Mobley, and Benny Golson on tenor; and Horace Silver and Sam Dockery on piano! The set includes material from the albums Hard Bop, Drum Suite, Jazz Messengers, Night In Tunisia, and some of the French-only live recordings that Blakey did for RCA in the late 50s – and the set features 16 tracks that include "Nica's Dream", "Evidence", "Blues March For Europe No 1", "Along Came Manon", "Lester Left Town", "Night In Tunisia (live)", "Moanin With Hazel", "Night In Tunisia (take 3)", "Ecaroh", "Cubano Chant", "Almost Like Being In Love", "The Sacrifie", and "Couldn't It Be You (take 4)". CD

A pair of rare records by Sidiku Buari – issued back to back on a single CD! Feelings is a record that was issued on the tiny Precious label – home to only two Buari albums in its tiny catalog – and the set follows strongly on the work that Sidiku recorded in New York during the 70s, records that were initially issued just under his last name! The groove on some tracks is full of early 80s NYC touches – sweet electro keyboards that provide some great middle-ground shocks to the tunes – while beats crackle crispy at the bottom, and Buari sings these slinky soul vocals that are a lot more American than you'd guess from the Ghanaian recording of the album. But other numbers have more of a West Africa vibe – that updating of older modes that was taking place in Nigeria too. Titles include "Music", "Feelings", "Anowar", and "Yayo Papa". Sidiku Buari & His Jam Busters has a groove that definitely lives up to its name – a sweet 80s crackle with lots of tunes that jam in an old school funk style – keyboards, basslines, and rhythms right on the money – in a great Transatlantic bridge between Ghana and New York City! The set begins with the super-funky "Let's Go To Funky Town" – a tune with a break on the intro to rival some of the best funky club work of the time – and the vibe continues strongly through the rest of the set, on titles that include "Sophisticated Jammer", "Power To My People", "Rhythm Of Africa", "Minsumobo", and "Karambani". CD

Sublime late 50s hardbop – recorded in the best Prestige blowing session mode! The record has an incredibly open-ended feel – as you might probably guess from the track "All Night Long", which runs for all of side one, and gives all the players included plenty of room to work out their best solo moments! Members of the group here include Kenny Burrell on guitar, Hank Mobley on tenor, Jerome Richardson on flute and tenor, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Mal Waldron on piano – really holding the whole thing together with his dark lines on the keys! The groove is laidback, but never sloppy – and the spaciousness of side one is matched by 3 shorter tracks on side two – "Boo Lu", "Flickers", and "Little Hankie". LP, Vinyl record album

(Blue label trident pressing with RVG etch, in a blue tinted cover. Vinyl has a press flaw that plays with noise for the first 5 minutes or so on Side 1. Cover has mostly split seams, some wear, and discoloration from age.)

A wailer! This rare 1955 album is one of Donald Byrd's first records as a leader – recorded for the tiny Transition label in Boston, but with a hardbop groove that's right up there with his early work for Savoy and Blue Note. The record is practically a Jazz Messengers session – as it features Art Blakey on drums, Horace Silver on piano, Hank Mobley on tenor, and Doug Watkins on bass – and it's also got the unique aspect of a two-trumpet frontline, as the young Joe Gordon joins Donald on the instrument for the session. Tracks are long and open-ended – with incredibly well-crafted playing that really keeps the set fresh, despite the young age of Donald at the time. Titles include "El Sino", "Doug's Blues", "Hank's Tune", and "Hank's Other Tune". CD

Later Atlantic Records material from the legendary Ray Charles – a set that definitely lives up to the genius of the title, in that it shows a real sense of development in Ray's music! Charles has moved from the shorter R&B of his early Atlantic singles, to embrace some greater jazz-based sophistication – served up here with players who include Paul Gonsalves and Zoot Sims on tenor, Clark Terry and Joe Newman on trumpets, Melba Liston and Al Gray on trombones, and Freddie Greene on guitar – all players who really shift things towards a richer, fuller sound – setting the stage for Charles 60s growth at ABC Records, but with less of the country modes. Titles include Charles takes on classics like "Just For A Thrill", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin", "Am I Blue", and "It Had To Be You" – and the record also features a young Marcus Belgrave delivering a trumpet solo on "Alexander's Ragtime Band". CD

Could there be a more classic Blue Note session? From the cover, to the title, to the hardbopping grooves of the set, this Sonny Clark late 50s smoker is one of the label's best! Clark's working here at the height of his powers – leading an all-star group that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Hank Mobley on tenor, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – all coming together magically on open-ended tunes that tighten up from the blowing session format, and really send the groove home! Plus, Sonny's writing is also great – as the set's got a number of great originals by Clark – like "Bootin' It", "Sonny's Mood", "Shoutin On A Riff", and "Dial S For Sonny". CD

3 incredible albums from the British jazz scene at the end of the 60s – all together in one 2CD package! Down Another Road is incredible work from one of England's greatest jazz talents – bassist Graham Collier, a player with an amazing ability to absorb a lot of the modern and progressive influences of his jazz generation – but all without succumbing to the same indulgences as them – a fact which resulted in a razor-sharp style that forged some of the freshest jazz ever to come out of the UK. This 1969 album is a masterpiece – filled with a modal groove and a strident searching theme, yet also as tight and grooving as most of the best Blue Note sessions from the same time. Harry Beckett's on trumpet, Nick Evans is on trombone, John Marshall plays drums, and Stan Sulzmann handles the reeds. Tracks include "Down Another Road", "Danish Blue", "The Barley Mow", and "Aberdeen Angus". Songs For My Father is a masterpiece of modernist soul jazz, with a sound that recalls the best late Blue Note work by Lee Morgan or Hank Mobley. Alan Wakeman's tenor is perfectly pitched, and searingly searching; Harry Beckett's trumpet is round, lyrical, and filled with soul; and the piano of John Taylor comps along in chunky modal grooves that make the whole album fall together brilliantly. Tracks include "Song One", "Song Two", "Song Three", etc – and they're all fantastic! Mosaics is a wonderfully searching session – filled with warm McCoy Tyner-esque modal moments, and searing post-Coltrane solos! The album comprises one long piece – Collier's "Mosaics" – performed live by a group that includes Alan Wakeman on tenor and soprano, Harry Beckett on trumpet, and Geoff Castle on piano. "Mosaics" has that amazing mid 60s Coltrane quality of going out in a spiritual kind of way – yet always returning to the groove, never getting too free, and always remaining firmly focused on the direction ahead. All players are great, and the record crackles with the intensity of a classic session on Impulse! CD

Features Mel Brown on rhythm guitar and Jimmy McGriff on keyboards – plus work by The Uptown Horns! Titles include "I Ain't Drunk", "Cash Talkin", "Bending Like A Willow Tree", "Lights Are On But Nobody's Home", and "Fake ID". CD

A dark blend of acoustic and electric modes from Miles Davis – a set that still has him working with elements of the classic 60s quintet, but which also brings in a stronger emphasis on electric piano too! The rhythms here are really fantastic – ready to burst forth into a whole new direction, yet still not hitting the Bitches Brew level of freedom – and drummer Tony Williams may well be the real star of the set for his tremendous work on the kit – even though, as stated, the album's got some heavy electric piano contributions both from Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea! All titles feature Miles on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor, and Tony Williams on drums – and the titles with Herbie feature Ron Carter on bass, while the rest with Chick Corea feature Dave Holland. Titles include "Frelon Brun", "Tout De Suite", "Petits Machins", "Mademoiselle Mabry", and "Filles De Kilimanjaro". CD

Legendary early live work from Miles Davis – one of the first examples on record of the way that Davis could really stretch out in a concert setting! The music's a bit more straight ahead than later live dates, but still pretty open and exploratory – and in addition to Davis' sparkling work on trumpet, the album also features some killer tenor lines from Hank Mobley – working here as a key part of Miles' group, and blowing with a hell of a lot of soul. Rhythm is by the rock-solid trio of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and the double-length set features 12 numbers in all – including "All Of You", "No Blues", "Bye Bye", "Walkin", "Neo", "So What", "Fran Dance", and "Well You Needn't". LP, Vinyl record album

Legendary early live work from Miles Davis – one of the first examples on record of the way that Davis could really stretch out in a concert setting! The music's a bit more straight ahead than later live dates, but still pretty open and exploratory – and in addition to Davis' sparkling work on trumpet, the album also features some killer tenor lines from Hank Mobley – working here as a key part of Miles' group, and blowing with a hell of a lot of soul. Rhythm is by the rock-solid trio of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – and titles include "All Of You", "No Blues", "Bye Bye" and "Walkin". LP, Vinyl record album

(Mono 6 eye pressing. Cover has some staining on the top seam, a split bottom seam, and light surface wear.)

A nice compilation of hard-hitting hip hop from the Queens-based Hydra Entertainment roster – with Mobb Deep, Screwball, DJ Fusion, Godfather Don, E-Boogie, Dennis Kellman, Big Meal, Ghetto Professionals, The Unsociables, Nick Wiz and more! It's a very strong selection of some greatest Hydra material of the mid 90s to mid 00s – at a time when a lot of greatest voices NYC hip hop voices were making bigger waves in the majors,some of which appear here, too – but it's more strongly rooted ind perennial underground heavies. 25 tracks in all, selected by DJ Koco. "On The Real" by Mobb Deep, "And You Don't Stop" by E-Boogie, "Spread It (rmx)" by Kamikaze with production by Marley Marl, "Pseudo Roots" by Mike Heron, "MC Assault" by Godfather Don, "You Love To Hear The Stories" by Screwball, "Conflict" by High & Mighty, "The Hutchison Joint" by Ghetto Professionals and many more. CD

The "new" thing here is that Kenny's playing with horns – always a refreshing change from his trio sides, and a setting that really brings out an edgier side to his playing. About half the record features a quintet with Donald Byrd and Hank Mobley, plus Wilbur Ware on bass and GT Hogan on drums – and the other half of the set features the same group without Mobley. Titles include "Carol", "Little T", "Paul's Pal", and "This Is New". CD

Lean, righteous blowing from the legendary Frank Foster – one of a handful of extremely hip sessions he cut in the 60s under his own name! The album's the only record Foster ever did for Blue Note – and we dare say it's even better than his previous 60s work on Prestige and Impulse – with a quality that's even darker, even deeper, even more advanced from his earlier years with Basie. There's a rolling, joyous groove to many numbers – that late 60s take on soul jazz that made for so many great tracks on albums by Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan near the end of the decade. Foster keeps things tight, but he's also got an expansive vision too – an edge in the horns that points the way towards some of the chances he'd take in the 70s, but which is still wrapped around a leanly leaping soul jazz groove! Foster wrote 5 of the 6 tracks on the album, and he's working here with a sextet that includes Garnett Brown on trombone, Marvin Stamm on trumpet, and Richard Wyands on piano, who brings in some offbeat notes and colors throughout. Rhythm is by the excellent team of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Mickey Roker on drums – and titles include "Seventh Avenue Bill", "Stammpede", "Little Miss No Nose", "Manhattan Fever", and "Loneliness". LP, Vinyl record album

(Original Liberty stereo pressing with Van Gelder stamp. Cover has a light stain along the opening and a spot of adhesive residue.)

An early soundtrack from Italian jazz legend Giorgio Gaslini – and one that showcases both different sides of the maestro's talents! Some of the tracks feature larger orchestrations – of the sort that Gaslini would do with increasingly avant tendencies as the years move on, but which here are more suited to the slight comedy of the film – and never move too far into some of Giorgio's darker tendencies! Other music is done by his core jazz combo – a quartet with Gianni Bedori on alto sax, Franco Tonati on drums and percussion, and Bruno Crovetto on bass – a group who plays some very groovy tunes that are worth the price of admission alone. Pino Donaggio sings "Un Amore" – and other tracks include "Interno Mobile", "Ultrasuoni", "Metamorvosi Di Un Amore", "Fiera", "Variazioni Sul Tema Di Laide", and "Etoile Du Jour". CD

A huge amount of wonderful music from Dizzy Gillespie – a player who really started taking off into fantastic new directions during these years! The album features some very groovy, very inventive small group work with James Moody on tenor and flute, and Kenny Barron on piano – plus collaborations with Stan Getz, a group date with Hank Mobley on tenor, another with Junior Mance on piano, more with Leo Wright on flute and alto, and a young Lalo Schifrin on piano! Many albums' worth of material – and bonus tracks too. CD

(Out of print, numbered limited edition pressing! Includes original book, box and CDs in their cases – all in great shape!)

Long overdue reissue of one of the totally rare sessions that Tubby Hayes cut for British Fontana in the early 60s. Hayes was one of the best British jazz talents ever, and his raw tenor sound is right up there with Sonny Rollins and Hank Mobley for sheer power and inventiveness. This laidback session features Hayes at the prime of his power, playing in a very tight live quintet with Jimmy Deuchar on trumpet, Gordon Beck on piano, and Allan Ganley on drums. The group grooves in an extremely tight way, and the tracks are long long long, with beautiful solos that never let up for a minute. Highlights include the originals "Down In the Village" and "In The Night", plus the tracks "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" and "First Eleven". The whole record is great, and its re-release opens a key chapter in the career of one of the greatest jazz players to ever spring up on the east side of the Atlantic! CD

A contemporary Finnish group, and a great one too – a combo who play with the sharp, soulful tones of a Blue Note lineup from the 60s – but all without ever sounding like they're trying to copy that mode too much! Instead, these guys just have a proud, confident sense of their strengths – which they bring to their music in a wonderful way – tight rhythms from Mikael Jakobsson on piano, Daniel Franck on bass, and Aleksi Heinola on drums – topped with soaring solo work from Mikko Gunu Karjalainen on trumpet and Manuel Dunkel on tenor! The set's got this mix of sophistication and swing – a bit like late 60s work by Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan – and this 10" LP features three more tracks from the original album sessions not on the main record – "Bouncin At The SUP", "Book's Bossa", and "Chasin The Spiri". 12-inch, Vinyl record

A collection of some of Freddie Hubbard's great early to mid 60s output for Blue Note, compiled and released in 1975 during a time when a number of his LPs were no longer available (not unlike these days . . .). While Freddie would cut great sides throughout his career, some of his fieriest playing was during this time, and he's joined by a batch of greats who are definitely there to deliver the message too, including James Spaulding, Hank Mobley, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Philly Joe Jones and ELvin Jones, amongst others (these tunes were pulled from the Crisis, Breaking Point and Hub Cap sessions). 13 tracks in all: "Crisis", "I Wish I Knew", "Hub Cap", "Luana", "Weaver Of Dreams", "Blue Frenzy", "Jodo", "Cry Me Not", "One Mint Julep", "Mirrors", "Breaking Point", "Blue For Brenda" and "All Or Nothing At All". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from the Jazz Crusaders – a brilliant album of longer tracks that has them working at their soulful, sophisticated best! The record's great proof that the Crusaders had a depth that many rarely gave them credit here – as they're working here in a complicated set of rhythms, tones, colors, and patterns that easily matches some of the best Blue Note mid 60s work by Hank Mobley or Lee Morgan! All tracks are recorded live, and in very long takes that show the combo effortlessly setting up the rhythms – then stepping out with extended solos that are surprisingly exploratory and modern-sounding. Titles include "Trance Dance", "Summer Madness", "Young Rabbits", and "Freedom Sound". Plus, the CD adds in 2 more bonus tracks recorded at Shelly's Manne Hole at the same time – "Half & Half" and "Wilton's Boogaloo"! CD

A great run of records from Alphonso Johnson – the best of his career, wrapped up here in one sweet set! First up is Moonshadows – one of the earliest of bassist Alphonso Johnson's funky fusion albums for Epic! Moonshadows is a nice little set of choppy grooves that recalls the best Herbie Hancock moments of the early 70s, plus some of the side projects of the Headhunters. Warmly funky, but with a nice edge – with a more jazz funk rooted sound than the later, slightly heavier Spellbound! The great group of players includes Patrice Rushen is on keyboards, Benny Maupin on reeds, Lee Ritenour on guitars, Airto Moriera on percussion, Gary Bartz on sax, plus Narada Michael Walden and Ndugu Chancler on drums. Tracks include "Stump", "Cosmoba Place", "Involuntary Bliss", "On The Case", "Amarteifio", "Pandora's Box" and the breezy "Up From The Cellar", which features vocals by Flora Purim! Yesterday's Dreams is a killer all-star session of funky fusion tracks – with a nice tight sound produced by Skip Drinkwater! Yesterday's Dreams differs a little from Alphonso's other strong mid 70s efforts in that it's not as spacey as a whole – but the rubbery, cleanly funky grooves are just as strong – and the record as a whole makes for more of a showcase for his excellent group of players! Bassist Johnson leads the session, but there's a huge amount of guests, such as Grover Washington, Patrice Rushen, Mike Clark, and Sheila Escovedo. Plus, Jon Lucien, Diane Reeves, Flora Purim, and Phillip Bailey all sing on the record! Titles include "One To One", "As Little As You", "Scapegoat", "Show Us The Way", "Tales Of Barcelona", and the future soul classic "Love's The Way I Feel 'Bout Cha". Spellbound is a soulfully spacey fusion set from Alphonso Johnson – with a really catchy sound! The maestro is working in an eclectic mode that's part Earth, Wind, & Fire, part Return To Forever, and part Alphonze Mouzon/Tommy Bolin jamming. The best moments on the record are the more straight ahead ones – which really flirt with chunky rock sounds on the other side of the rubbery fusion funkiness! Mouzon's working on all kinds of electric sounds on this one – a bunch of custom bass effects, steel drums and more – with Clyde Criner working with a long list of keys and synthesizers, Kevin Shireve on guitar and David Igelfeld on drums and percussion. Titles include "Face Blaster", "Summer Solstice", "Bahama Mama", "Nomads", and Moonlight Conversation" "Feelings Are. . .The Hardest Words To Say" and "Earthtales Suite". CD

One of THE electric blues records of the 60s – a seminal set by Albert King that was probably blasted out of more college dorm rooms than southside juke joints, but which still more than deserves its due! The set was recorded by Stax with a nice raw sound – guitar very much upfront, but also set amidst arrangements that have a bit more soul than the average Chicago blues session from the same time. The set features a number of originals by Stax regulars like Booker T and David Porter – and titles include "The Hunter", "Born Under A Bad Sign", "Crosscut Saw", "Down Don't Bother Me", "Laundromat Blues", and "Personal Manager". CD

(Out of print, gold CD pressing from Mobile Fidelity – still in the original case which is in great shape!)

One of the first records to feature BB King's famous guitar, Lucille, in the spotlight – an instrument he'd played for years, but which took on legendary status over the decades! The guitar's handled perfectly here by King – with a tone that still holds on to all the gritty edges of his early years, but which is also captured beautifully in the studio with top-shelf production – loud and clear, but never as commercial as on later records. The whole thing's wonderfully free of hoke – the material that made King a much-deserved star in the 60s – and the record features backing from Maxwell Davis on Hammond and Lloyd Glenn on piano. Titles include "Watch Yourself", "Lucille", "I Need Your Love", "Country Girl", and "You Move Me So". CD

(Out of print, Gold CD pressing from Mobile Fidelity – still in the original case. Booklet has a faint mark from an old sticker.)

One of our favorites by King Crimson – and a very underrated record from their earlier years – with a lot more jazz than some of their others! Spacey jazz rock mastery from an incredible group of players – including Mel Collins on lots of flutes and saxes – plus guests Keith Tippett on piano, Mark Charig on cornet, and Harry Miller on bass! This great Fripp-approved 2014 pressing is in the original stereo mix! Includes "Formentera Lady", "Sailor's Tale", "The Letters", "Ladies Of The Road", "Prelude: Song Of The Gulls" and "Islands". LP, Vinyl record album

The amazing debut of those most hyperactive of the Native Tongues, the short-lived, ultra fresh Leaders Of The New School! Busta & Co. splintered apart after just two albums, but this will always be a shiny trophy in the mantle with the all time freshest East Coast hip hop. It sounds great to this day, particularly those Eric "Vietnam" Sadler cuts. Tracks include "Case Of The P.T.A.", "Too Much On My Mind", "What's The Pinocchio Theory?", "Sobb Story", "Sound Of The Zeekers @#^**?!", "Feminine Fatt", "Transformers", "Show Me A Hero", "Trains, Planes & Automobiles", "Teachers, Don't Teach Us Nonsense!", "My Ding-A-Ling", and "Where Do We Go From Here?". CD